News

Hot Topics:

York County SPCA offers pets shelter during outage

MOLLIE DURKIN and EYANA ADAH MCMILLAN The York Dispatch

Posted:
02/06/2014 11:25:39 AM EST

Updated:
02/06/2014 08:10:31 PM EST

Sophia Gerrick and Annika Clymer check out Jax, a black labrador, as Brownie Troop #20455 finishes a tour of the York County SPCA Thursday. The SPCA is letting families who are out of power leave their pets until their power is back on. (Randy Flaum)

The York County SPCA is providing a warm place to stay for pets
living in homes affected by the power outage.

The SPCA, at 3159 Susquehanna Trail North in Manchester Township, is
offering emergency shelter for pets.

"If someone finds themself in an emergency situation because of a power
outage, we will do our best to assist them," said Melissa Smith, the
SPCA's executive director.

So far, the shelter received six cats from one family and a dog and two
cats from another family, Smith said Thursday.

"Things are going pretty well," she said. "We just want to provide a
place where (pets) can be warm. We'll keep the shelter running as long
as it's needed, depending on how long the power is out."

Smith said pets should be brought to the emergency shelter during the SPCA's
normal operating hours of 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays
and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

The SPCA has offered shelter help like this on an individual basis
before, but an ice storm of this magnitude is rare and calls for special
accommodations, Smith said.

Most people and pets are able to get through a couple of days without a
problem, she said. The main concern is for animals that are very
susceptible to cold, such as birds and those that require electric
heating lamps, Smith added.

"We want to make sure we're here for those people who really need
emergency services," she said.